Kathleen Regan, a 2012 graduate of Holliston High School, will return to her roots with an intimate evening of songs at Marketplace Theatre in Bellingham on September 6. Since first appearing on stage at the age of four as Gretl Von Trapp in “The Sound of Music”, Kathleen has built an impressive resume of stage experience, first as an actor and singer and now as an up-and-comer on the Nashville music scene. Kathleen credits her parents, Karen and John, for recognizing and nurturing her interest in music and performance from a young age. They exposed her to a wide variety of musical genres and gave her opportunities to perform, beginning with that long-ago debut 20 years ago. At 8 she signed with a Boston-based acting agency, became a member of SAG and began to perform at cafes and other venues around New England. Kathleen began writing songs when she was 10, and first picked up a guitar at 13. It was at about that time that she realized that she might actually be able to make a living doing what she loved best—writing and performing songs.

After graduation at Holliston High, she lived briefly in Los Angeles, making contacts in the music industry and performing at every opportunity. Not long after she realized that Nashville would be a better venue for developing her catchy folk/pop vibe that some have likened to artists such as as Jewel, Colbie Caillat, and Maren Morris. She relocated there when she was 19. Since then she has continued to hone her craft, ­releasing her first EP “Thank the Dirt” soon after arriving in Nashville. She has since followed it with a self-named EP in 2016. She’s grateful that she’s been able to make valuable connections in the industry and has co-written a number of songs with other performers whose work she admires. “I am always meeting new artists,” says Kathleen, “and have had the joy of writing and recording with some great names in town.” One such song is “Risk it All”, as well as her ‘personal anthem’, “Bottle of Rain”. Kathleen’s music is deeply influenced by the eclectic music exposures she’s had over the years. “Nashville has really been a turning point for me as far as finding my own sound in this industry,” she explains, “I am always striving to become more creative, relatable and catchy while staying true to myself.” She is an official artist on Spotify. Her music can also be heard on iTunes and YouTube.

Kathleen will appear at Marketplace Theatre as part of her fall tour. She’ll also be appearing locally at the South Shore Country Festival in Marshfield a few days later. Kathleen is being hosted by Backstage Repertory Company, founded by her old friend and high school drama teacher, Brian Hickey. Opening for her will be another old friend, local artist Cara Wehmhoefer, a Berklee-trained songwriter and fellow HHS alum. Tickets are $25 and are now available at: https://brc.booktix.com/. While tickets will be sold at the door, audience members are encouraged to avoid disappointment by buying tickets in advance as the Marketplace Theatre is an intimate venue of only 111 seats and often sells out. Located in the Marketplace Plaza, at 799 S. Main St. (Rt. 126) in Bellingham, the theatre is a convenient 10-minute drive south of Home Depot, or west from Exit 17 (Franklin, Rt. 140) off of Rt. 495. Doors open at 7:00, with the show beginning at 8:00. Wine, beer and snacks will be available.